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HANCOCK COUNTY, OHIO
History & Genealogy

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY, OHIO
By D. B. Beardsley - Findley, O.
Publ. Springfield, O. Republic Printing Co.
-- 1881 --

CHAPTER XXV
Pgs. 372
 

TP. 1, N.
AREA 19,200 ACRES.

R. 11, E.
POPULATION 1,338

     The Commissioner's Record of December 7th, 1829, Charles McKINNIS, John P. HAMILTON and Mordica HAMMOND, Commissioners, reads: "A petition presented by sundry citizens of Amanda and Delaware Townships, praying for a new township, to be set off as follows, to-wit:  Number one, range eleven, south of the base line, into a body politic and corporate, and to be named Jackson, which was agreed to by said Board."
     At the December session of the Commissioners in 1836, it was "ordered that an election be held in Jackson township, to elect a Treasurer and tree Trustees for section sixteen, on the 20th day of December, 1836, and that notices thereof be set up in three of the most public places in the township, after having been satisfied by the inhabitants of said township, that there are twenty electors in said township, at the usual place of holding elections."  It was also ordered "that sections, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in township one south, range twelve, (now Ridge township) and sections 1, 12, 13, 24, 25 and 36, in range number eleven, township one south, (now Jackson township) be attached in Amanda township."
     Jackson township now comprises sections, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, in township one south.
     Peter GEORGE made the first entry of land in the township on the 21st day of November, 1823, which entry was

[Pg. 373]
the east half of the north-east quarter of section thirty-five, (now owned by G. W. KROUT).
     Dec. 10th, 1823, Wm. GREER entered the east half of the south-east quarter section thirty-five, (now owned by heirs of T. G. HAMMOND).
     On the 18th of May, 1827, Mordica HAMMOND entered the west half of north-east quarter of section thirty-five.
     David EGBERT entered the east half of north-east quarter of section two, and in Sept. of the same year Alpheus RALSTON entered the south-west quarter of section seven, upon which he soon after settled, and upon which he still resides.  In November of the same year George BISHOP, of Franklin County, took up the south-east quarter of section seven.  These entries were followed by others made by Levi WILLIAMSON, William NEWELL, John SWANK and others.
     This township was named in honor of Gen. Andrew JACKSON, who was then President of the United States.  Its boundaries are, on the north, Findley and Marion townships, east by Amanda, south by Delaware and Madison and west by Eagle.
     The first white man who settled in the township, was Judge Mordica HAMMOND, whose widow, Mrs. Tillie HAMMOND, is, I believe, still living.  Judge HAMMOND came here in 1827, and settled on the Blanchard River, in section thirty-five, there being no neighbors nearer than Mt. Blanchard.  Indeed but a very small portion of the lands in the township had been entered at that time.  The Judge resided upon the same tract of land at the time of his death, which he had reclaimed from the wilderness, and converted into a beautiful farm.

[Pg. 374]
     But Judge HAMMOND was not long without neighbors.  Peter GEORGE, Wm. GREER, the EGBERT's, RALSTON, WILLIAMSON, NEWELL, the MISSMORES, the TREECES, and others quickly followed.
     The timber of this part of the county is oak, elm, walnut, beech, maple, buckeye, &c., and heavily wooded the whole face of the township.
     The soil is rich and productive, especially so along the water courses.  The population is a purely agricultural one, there being no manufacturing establishments of any moment in the township.  There are many valuable farms and beautiful farm buildings here, and the township is one of considerable wealth, and its people are industrious and energetic.
     The township is well watered by the Blanchard River - which passes through from south to north - and its tributary creeks and runs.  Wells, which are easily dug in any part of the township, furnish a supply of good wholesome water.
     This part of the county never having had the advantage of railroads, is comparatively new, but when once improved, will be a beautiful part of the country.
     The first school house was built in 1832, and the first school was taught by the now venerable Aquilla GILBERT, Esq., of Venlue.  At the time Mr. GILBERT taught the school there were no public school funds, and the compensation was one dollar and fifty cents per scholar, paid by voluntary subscriptions.  The district included all of Jackson and Amanda townships, and if the "school-master boarded around," as was then the fashion, he certainly had to spread himself over a good deal of territory.
     The first church was built in 1833.
     A hand mill owned by Godfrey WOLFORD, was the first in the township, and Mr. Gilbert says that he and
Judge

[Pg. 375]
HAMMOND with whom he resided during the winter of 1828-29, sued to go to mill every other day to grind enough was built in 1835 by Michael MISSMORE, but as it was propelled by water, it was rather uncertain as a means of procuring bread.  This mill was the first frame building erected in the township.
     The market for the first settlers was Portland and Sandusky City.  But as was said by one of the old pioneers, it made but little difference to them where the market was, as they had but little to sell.
     Aquilla GILBERT and L. P. HAMBLIN were the first couple married in the township, Asa M. LAKE Esq., of Mt. Blanchard, officiating.  Capt. Dan GILBERT, their son, and now of Vanlue, was the first white child born here.  Capt. Dan. has grown up with the county, and doubtless remembers with pleasure his boyhood days, spent in clearing, and the old log school house, long since replaced by the neat brick or frame.
     The first death was that of Mrs. Margaret WILLIAMS, wife of an old hunter and pioneer.  Her remains were interred in what is now the Mt. Blanchard Cemetery.
     There are many fine farms and farm buildings in this township, and it is fast becoming a wealthy locality.  The fine residences of John DOTY, Rev. Asa ELLIS, Thompson MYERS, David BIBLER, Geo. TREECE, Moses ELSEA, jr., Henry BOWERS, Alpheus RALSTON and Peter STRUBLE, are as modern in construction and comfortable in finish, as any in the county.  The out-buildings on these farms are of the most convenient, ample kind.
     This township is peopled by a quiet pastoral population.  Thrifty, neighborly and hospitable.  Much attention is paid

[Pg. 376]
to the common schools, and the necessary school buildings, and school apparatus is provided, and competent teachers employed, to the end that all the youth may have an opportunity of acquiring a good common school education.

BIOGRAPHIES:

LEVI SAMPSON

ALPHEUS RALSTON

[Pg. 377]

JOSEPH NEWELL

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GEORGE TREECE

     An election held in this township in October, 1833, there were ten votes cast.
     The first company muster was held at the house of Acquilla GILBERT, and the company - about fifty men in all - was composed of men from Amanda, Delaware, Richland and Jackson Townships, under the command of Capt. Godfrey WOLFORD and Lieutenants R. W. HAMBLIN and Josiah ELDER.
     Capt. WOLFORD
having been promoted to Major, the com-

[Pg. 379]
mand of the company devolved upon the Lieutenants, and one who was there, has suggested that had they been at the first Bull Run fight, the fortunes of the day would have been very different.
     Wild game was plenty in all parts of the township, and the hunting of it was a source of profit as well as pleasure, and the table of the backwoodsman was scarcely ever without a supply of venison or bear steak, or a squirrel pot pie.
     Thee are now eight school buildings in the township, nearly all of which are brick, and the enumeration of youth of school age, amounts to four hundred and seventy-one.
     In 1863 a post office was established on the road from Findley to Mt. Blanchard, about six miles from Findley, and called Ewing's Corners, with Jesse Ewing as postmasterThe office was, however, discontinued after about eight years.  Mr. Ewing was the only postmaster.

NORTH LIBERTY.

     This village was laid out in April, 1853, by J. F. HOUK, on the north-west part of the west half of the north-west quarter of section 27.  Fifteen lots were platted.
     In 1867 John DOUTY and A. M. HOUK made an addition of twenty-eight lots, and in 1859 six more lots were added by Jacob HOY.
    
The place never assumed very large proportions or very much importance.  It never advanced beyond a cross roads village, and its business was entirely local, being confined to the trade of the immediate neighborhood.  Its location is in the midst of a rich agricultural district, but remote from railroads.
     Its business was confined to one grocery store, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, one saw and

[Pg. 380]
shingle mill.  There is one church and one school building, and one physician.  The town, so far as improvements in the way of new buildings are concerned, is at a stand still.  Population in 1880 was one hundred and eighteen.
     In 1855 or 56, a post office was established here, under the name of Houcktown, and the postmasters have been as follows:  Robert DAVIDSON, J. R. BABCOCK, John GARST, Israel SAMPSON, Eli GORSUCH, John EBAUG and David BEAGLE.
    
The following named persons have been elected Justices, at the dates mentioned:
     Aquilla GILBERT, 1830, 1833, 1836, 1839, 1842.
     George HENRY, 1835.
     Joseph TROMNEY, 1839, 1842, 1845, 1861, 1854.
     Arthur RUSSELL, 1844, 1847, 1850
     Charles O. MANN, 1844, 1847, 1850
     Andrew W. HOUK, 1856.
      John TEEMS, 1855.
     D. W. ENGLE, 1857, 1863, 1866.
     Joseph S. STRUBLE, 1857
     James WALTEMIRE,  1859
     Henry BOWERS, 1859, 1863, 1866, 1869, 1872, 1875, 1878, 1881. 
     Thomas WALTEMIRE, 1862
      Eli J. SELDEN, 1869, 18722, 1875, 1878.
      Israel SAMPSON, 1880, 1880
      JOHN C. HOYS
, 1881.

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     Statistics of the number and value of live stock and acres and and bushels of gain produced, as reported to the Auditor of the County, in 1881.

Horses, 547, number $75,140, value
Cattle, 1,205, number 14,150, value
Sheep, 3,023, number 5,995, value
Hogs, 2,137, number 5,050, value
Wheat, 3,416, acres 59,820, bushels
Oats, 416, acres 13,270, bushels
Corn, 2,655, acres 106,055, bushels
Flax, 67, acres 600, bushels
Hay, 879, acres 979, tons.
 

 

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